DUO BRUBECK: All You Need Is Love! (And a Little Bit of Guitar….)

It is an epic night for the guitar, as the monsterous month of October brings the fretted equivalent of “Guitarzilla” and “Guitar Kong” to downtown Miami. DUO BRUBECK, featuring both master guitarists Tom Lippincott, AND Mitch Farber will be appearing as part of the prestigious Music in Miami Concert Series at Trinity Cathedral Miami on Sunday October 19th at 6:00 pm. Music of the Beatles (including music from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band), will be presented alongside original duo arrangements of specially selected compositions by Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Duke Ellington, Jule Styne, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Burton Lane, Chick Corea, Miles Davis Juan Tizol and George Gershwin in this eagerly anticipated concert event. DUO BRUBECK helped to launch the Distinguished Artist series at the Cleveland Clinic, and the popular duo has performed in concert throughout South Florida. Admission is free!

This performance will be dedicated to the memory of “Mr. Bass Trombone”, George Roberts who has been promoted to glory. Best known as a signature sideman for Frank Sinatra, Robert’s bass trombone can be heard on the classic Sinatra/Riddle recording of Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, and on countless record and film sessions. Roberts was the first to recognize the melodic nature of the bass trombone, and pioneered, popularized and perfected the instrument. He was kind, and funny, and his position on the bass trombone is unique amongst virtuosi of ANY other instrument-he is universally listed as the greatest player and inspiration by all bass trombonists everywhere, both classical & jazz. He will be missed!

DUO BRUBECK, featuring Tom Lippincott, is an exciting and innovative musical setting which re-imagines the jazz duo!
Inspired by the jazz duos of trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and guitarist Jim Hall, Tuck and Patti and pianist Bill Evans with Jim Hall, Brubeck and Lippinocott met while playing in the Concert Jazz Band (CJB) at the University of Miami in 1989. Both musicians played guitar and trombone in their youth only to choose different paths. David & Tom’s love of these timbres and their combination have led to the creation of ‘Duo Brubeck’.

A lifelong devotee of jazz improvisation, Lippincott was inspired by the piano, “Although I love the guitar, I’ve often been envious of some of the things pianists can do that guitarists cannot. In my quest to be able to play more extensive contrapuntal ideas and play chords with more notes that cover a wider range, I thought: why not have a guitar built with both?” Lippincott’s solution was to seek out an eight string guitar. The guitar he chose features an additional B, (a fourth below the traditional low E), and another A a fourth above the top string.

Brubeck’s divergence came at the age of 14, when he fell in love with the bass trombone, rather than the more typical tenor trombone. This lower voiced instrument is typically melodic, or provides a rhythmic bass. Inspired to combine both melody and bass lines by alternation, Brubeck created an implied homophony reminiscent of jazz vocalist Bobby McFerrin. Brubeck’s original solo compositions for bass trombone using this technique have been described as “Bobby McFerrin meets the Bach Cello Suites”and are entitled ‘Stereograms’, and have been performed and recorded around the world. More than 50 Sterograms have been published by the International Trombone Association Press, Cherry Classics, and the journals of The British Trombone Society, The International Tuba and Euphonium Association, The International Double Reed Society and The International Trombone Association.

DUO BRUBECK combines both of these approaches to create a truly unique and seamless weave of melody, chords, and bass lines from instrument to instrument. The glistening sound of DUO BRUBECK is a fascinating and pulsating rhythmic melange of complimentary waves of sound.

Guitar phenom, Mitch Farber, was added to meet the increased demand for the popular duo. Mitch brings hard grooving Latin Jazz, Soul and R & B to his rhythmic infused grooves and solos. A perfect counterpoint to the vast harmonic landscapes of Lippincott, this concert will feature two of Miami’s finest guitarists alternating in the DUO BRUBECK setting.

c. 2014 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved davidbrubeck.com

Images Courtesy of Mrs. Anna Ukleja and David Brubeck

Trivia question?
(Originally formed as a trio with bass trombone, guitar and drums, the first DUO BRUBECK performance (without drums) was of “There Is No Greater Love” and occurred for a Miami Television “Cable Tap” fundraiser. Lippincott couldn’t make the date, and he sent a sub.)
Who was the first guitarist presented in the jazz bass trombone/guitar duo setting?
a. Sandy Poltarack b. Mitch Farber c. Jonathan Kreisberg d. Peter Kienle e. Charley Harrison